Disclosed are vehicle inspection systems and methods, and more particularly, systems and methods for appraising the damage caused to a vehicle during an accident and in certain embodiments for dispositioning the vehicle from the accident scene. The disclosed appraisal systems can include one or more cameras, scanner and sensors and a computing device. The cameras can be mounted to a recovery vehicle, for example, for taking imagery of the damaged vehicle at an accident scene. The computing device receives the imagery from each camera and/or sensors/scanners and communicates the data and imagery to a remote server for use in a damage assessment. An evaluation is performed using the transmitted data and a determination is made as to whether sufficient information has been provided in order to allow an agent of the insurer and/or a data analysis module to make a damage assessment and provide a routing instruction for dispositioning the vehicle from the accident scene and, if appropriate, for automatically arranging a rental car service for the driver or owner of the damaged vehicle based on factors such as vehicle and coverage data.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An appraisal and routing system for a damaged vehicle, comprising: i. at least one camera mounted to a recovery vehicle for taking imagery of the damaged vehicle at an accident scene in support of a damage assessment when the damaged vehicle is loaded onto the recovery vehicle, wherein the recovery vehicle is configured to transport the damaged vehicle; ii. a computing device in communication with the at least one camera for receiving the imagery from the at least one camera, the computing device including memory and a processing unit; wherein the processing unit is disposed in communication with said memory, and the processing unit upon execution of instructions stored in the memory is configured to cause the at least one camera to take the imagery; iii. a transmitter for communicating the imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a remote server for use in a damage assessment; and iv. a receiver for receiving a routing instruction for the damaged vehicle which is based on the damage assessment.
2. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a portable camera for taking additional imagery of the damaged vehicle and communicating the additional imagery to the computing device.
3. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for detecting vehicle indicia and communicating the same to the computing device.
4. The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor is adapted for detecting at least one of: a registration number, a vehicle identification number, or a license plate number for the damaged vehicle.
5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the imagery taken by the at least one camera includes still pictures.
6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the imagery taken by the at least one camera includes video.
7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the camera includes a filter to facilitate detection of damage to the damaged vehicle.
8. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the camera includes a Gabor filter.
9. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a mobile computer mounted within the recovery vehicle.
10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a mobile phone or smart device.
11. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface which allows additional data relating to the damaged vehicle to be provided to the computing device and stored in the memory of the computing device.
12. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transmitter communicates the imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a cloud storage server.
13. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a data analysis module which compares baseline condition data for the damaged vehicle to be present condition data to determine an amount of damage to the vehicle.
14. A remote appraisal system for a damaged vehicle, comprising: i) a frame configured to be attached to a wheeled inspection vehicle; ii) at least one camera mounted to the frame for taking imagery of the damaged vehicle; iii) a robotic arm operatively coupled with the frame for manipulating the at least one camera; iv) at least one lighting apparatus mounted to the frame for illuminating the damaged vehicle; and v) a mobile computing device in communication with the at least one camera for receiving the imagery from the at least one camera, the mobile computing device including memory and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is disposed in communication with said memory, and the processing unit upon execution of instructions stored in the memory is configured to cause the at least one camera to take the imagery.
15. The system as recited in claim 14 , further compromising a transmitter for communicating the imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a remote server for use in a damage assessment.
16. The system as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a receiver for receiving a routing instruction for the damaged vehicle which is based on the damage assessment.
17. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least on scanner or sensor is adapted for detecting at least one of: a registration number, a vehicle identification number, or a license plate number for the damaged vehicle.
18. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the transmitter communicates the imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a cloud storage server.
19. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising at least one scanner or sensor for obtaining vehicle identification data.
20. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a portable camera for taking additional imagery of the damaged vehicle and communicating the additional imagery to the computing device.
21. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the imagery taken by the at least one camera includes still pictures.
22. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the imagery taken by the at least one camera includes video.
23. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the at least one camera includes a filter to facilitate detection of damage to the damaged vehicle.
24. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the at least one camera includes a Gabor filter.
25. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the mobile computing device is a mobile computer configured to be mounted within an inspection vehicle.
26. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the computing device is a mobile phone or smart device.
27. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a graphical user interface which allows additional data relating to the damaged vehicle to be provided to the computing device and stored in the memory of the computing device.
28. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a data analysis module which compares baseline condition data for the damaged vehicle to present condition data to determine an amount of damage to the vehicle.
29. The system as recited in claim 28 , wherein the computing device includes the data analysis module.
30. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a FLIR One-shot deflectometry unit.
31. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising an XG/CV-X series Machine Vision Systems Lineup Catalog.
32. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a 3D scanner.
33. The system as recited in claim 14 , further comprising an optoNCDT laser triangulation sensor.
34. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the frame is associated with a drone.
35. A remote appraisal system for a damaged vehicle, comprising: i) a frame configured to be attached to a wheeled inspection vehicle; ii) an armature movable secured to the frame; iii) a plurality of rails, wherein the armature is adapted for linear movement along at least one of the plurality of rails; iv) at least one camera operatively coupled with the frame for taking imagery of the damaged vehicle; v) at least one lighting apparatus operatively coupled with the frame for illuminating the damaged vehicle; and vi) a mobile computing device in communication with the at least one camera for receiving the imagery from the at least one camera, the mobile computing device including memory and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is disposed in communication with said memory, and the processing unit upon execution of instructions stored in the memory is configured to cause the at least one camera to take the imagery.
36. The system as recited in claim 35 , wherein the plurality of rails includes a longitudinally extending slide rail and a vertical slide rail.
37. The system as recited in claim 36 , further comprising a movable platform movably coupled with the longitudinally extending slide rail, wherein the at least one camera is coupled with the movable platform.
38. The system as recited in claim 35 , wherein the frame further comprising an awning for covering the damaged vehicle during a damage assessment.
39. The system as recited in claim 35 , further comprising a LIDAR scanner.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 9, 2016
September 1, 2020
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